Modems are currently utilized as discrete computer peripherals that interface a host device such as a personal computer (PC), with an external broadband gateway or access network such as provided by a cable television or telecom company. It is noted that cable, digital subscriber line (DSL) and other modem technologies are used to provide similar broadband access to high-speed networks. Such broadband access enables the high-speed transfer of data between, for example, Internet sites and a PC in the home. Other devices found in many homes include external storage peripherals or consumer electronic devices utilizing a variety of storage media, such as digital cameras, digital audio players, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and computing devices. Associated storage media comprise, for example, floppy disks, ZIP™ cartridges, tape cartridges, magnetic cards, magnetic strips and FLASH memory cards.
A PC must interface with the modem and the various storage media provided by these electronic devices. That is, the owner of a PC, as well as various consumer electronics devices, may wish to transfer data to or from storage devices associated with the consumer electronics devices. To effect the transfer of such data, into or out of the PC for transport, display, playback or other purposes, an interface device is necessary to provide the appropriate read/write functions. Since such a consumer device typically has a unique interface device, a single PC may be interfaced to many external storage devices by respective interface devices. The cost associated with providing so many interface devices can be quite high, the aesthetic result of a desk top cluttered with such interface devices can be quite poor and, generally, a user having a PC interfacing to a variety of external storage devices must have fairly detailed knowledge about the functionality of the PC, the many different interface devices and the storage devices themselves.